2023 Toyota Prius Prime Plug-in Hybrid | Talking Cars with Consumer Reports
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 พ.ค. 2024
- More info on the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime here: www.consumerreports.org/cars/...
Ratings and test results on every car CR purchases and tests: www.consumerreports.org/cars/...
One of Toyota's popular plug-in hybrids (PHEV) the Prius Prime gets a major redesign for 2023. This week we share our first impressions of the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime, its new sleek styling, improved fuel economy, driving characteristics, and extended electric-only range. We help a member of our audience find a replacement for her Scion tC with something more fuel efficient, like the Honda CR-Z, Insight, and Fit. Also, we discuss the differences of all-wheel-drive systems on ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles and EVs, and how to improve traction in wintry weather driving.
SHOW NOTES
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00:00 - Introduction
00:15 - First Impressions: 2023 Toyota Prius Prime
02:28 - Prime vs Regular Prius
05:31 - Traffic Jam Assist
07:19 - Safety Features
10:40 - How it Drives
13:26 - Controls
15:41 - Is it worth the extra cost?
21:06 - Question #1: What is a fuel efficient alternative for a Scion tC?
27:25 - What are some differences between gas powered vehicles and EV’s all-wheel drive systems?
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Redesigned 2023 Toyota Prius Prime Gets Longer Electric-Only Range
www.consumerreports.org/cars/...
2023 Toyota Prius Prime
www.consumerreports.org/cars/...
Best Hybrid Cars for Under $35,000
www.consumerreports.org/cars/...
Everything You Need to Know About Leasing an EV or PHEV With a Tax Credit
www.consumerreports.org/cars/...
Redesigned 2023 Toyota Prius Trades Practicality for Style
www.consumerreports.org/cars/...
Car Safety Guide
www.consumerreports.org/cars/...
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I love this car! I can get to work and back within 44 miles. And when I go shopping, I'm not exceeding 44 miles either. So I can basically go a very long time with never filling the gas (only filling once every 6 months so the gas doesn't get stale). But when I want to go from southern California to northern California, I really appreciate the huge range I can get because of the hybrid.
I drove the volt for 9 years and averaged 115 mpg , it takes 5 seconds to unplug in the morning and night. Wonderful to have the plug in.
What happened after 9 years? Did you sell? Was there an issue?
Yeah, Funkhouser complaining about 4-hours to charge is the norm for battery size and L2 charging.
Thank You for supporting Electric Vehicles and for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth.... Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ ☮ ❤
Virtual Signal much...
9:40 LCA is actually Lane CHANGE Assist (not Centering). 🙃
It does seem odd that there is no “help” screen built into the big screen anywhere, but with anything, once you learn the acronyms/icons it is really not a big deal. Just a bit overwhelming the first time you drive it. I have had my Prime XSE Premium 6 months now, and I like it more all the time. 😎
Everyone got on board with the Chevy volt, it only took 12 years
Only a decade behind. Actually Prius Prime was a thing when Volt was a thing. It is just that the Prime was not competitive.
This car is economical even when the battery is depleted as it works like a regular hybrid. 40 miles of electric range is a decent chunk out of most journeys
Here in Canada you get 5k rebate from the government and another 3k from the province that I am in, so it will come cheaper to get the prime, but I decided to get the Hybrid AWD for the snow we get here.
Was going to comment the same. Here in Canada, the Prime is a no-brainer, as the federal rebate alone makes it slightly less expensive than the regular Prius, even more so if you are in a province with additional rebates. I am in Ontario and got a Yellow Prime in August, and it has been fantastic. 😎. I also think the 39 miles / 65km should be adequate for most people… even if your commute is longer than this, that is still going to be substantial fuel savings. And electricity is FAR less expensive than gas in Canada, which is not always the case in the US (cheap gas & expensive electricity in some areas…).
Hello all, reading all the comments and listening the CR discussions this vehicule is fantastic for me and meet most of my requirements. Technology acronyms is nothing after 2 weeks driving you know how everything works and multiple setting becomes useless when you find yours. Like other cars there +and - points but for me is a very good car for my life style. Would I like more a full electric BMW of course but I don’t have the budget for that. Also CR test a lot of different vehicles and for sure there is much better car that a Prius Prime but a Toyota is a well mfg car at an affordable price.
I had a PHEV with 20 EV miles & charged every night. I got gas once a month vs every week as a result. With 44 EV miles, I think I would only have to buy 4 tanks of gas a year. So take the gas savings, less the cost of electricity for year, take the savings and see what the pay back is for the extra $6,000. If less than 3 years, I think it’s a go. The other thing is because, the ICE is used so little & regen, oil changes and brake pad replacement is far less frequent. 1/2 or 1/3rd is often & more savings in money & time.
No one tells us how low the roofline is for seniors to get into the front seats??? That goes with all reviewers. I wish they would let us know???
Are Toyota owners old and short?
Yup I am old and short! But I'm liking this new Prius. Most of my trips are short and I am looking forward to saving gas and engine wear... And also, the Dipshits that run Canada (and the USA) are probably going to run us short on gas with their ESG Policies and refusal to build pipelines and allow refineries.
I disagree with the comment about the Prius Prime not being quiet. The main noise you here at driving speeds are probably coming from the tires. At lower speeds you can hear that spaceship noise that is now required of all EVs and hybrids. And to say she couldn't tell if she was in hybrid or EV mode is ridiculous. I could easily tell at regular driving speeds, but not at lower speeds like driving around in a parking lot, for example. Besides, all you have to do is punch it a little and you can easily tell. Though the transition from EV to Hybrid is very smooth.
Funkhouser is complaining about 4-hours to charge it as slow also...
I loved my CR-Z. They’re not fast or particularly sharp handling, but still fun in a quirky small car way. They are very reliable too, although need to be gentle with the door handles (they are known to break, especially in hot climates).
One of the things that I was happy to see in the newer safety sense 3.0 is that it will be upgradable thru updates, the older safety sense 2.0 was not. So I assume over time they will correct things like oversensitivity to cross traffic.
Honda Fit is a great recommendation. Funky, fun and mega practical.
Another factor on the Prius Prime is ridiculous price gouging by dealers. PP doesn't make any financial sense, especially when it is more expensive than a Model 3.
I hate those low-profile tires. They look real spiffy but they are more prone to flats than the regular old tires (which I have on my ‘21 Prius Prime).
Bent rims, less efficient
For Adeel, your RDX has SH-AWD so it's able to control the spin by each wheel so you're able to accelerate out of corners better. Don't expect much from the ioniq 5..
Big downgrade in that area. I own a first gen RDX with SH-AWD and it’s one of the best cars I’ve driven in the snow.
Greetings from southern Ontario Canada I'm enjoying my Toyota RAV4 PRIME thanks for the presentation about the prius
When Michael says, "If you need that AWD..." got me thinking about this current generation of Toyota AWD functionality. Namely for the most part in their cars and smaller SUVs the AWD works by the addition of an electric motor attached to the rear wheels. As I understand it, this is not a full-time mechanical system. And so I do wonder for folks who honestly really need AWD, live in areas where climates and road conditions/gradients that demand that all 4 wheels be driven more or less all the time, if this type of "part time" non mechanical system is even sufficient for them. And for those who don't but live in areas where roads get plowed promptly, if having a part time, on-demand AWD system is worth the trade-offs of range, efficiency, etc.? (I'm a little surprised that the CR team didn't find a difference in performance between Acura's well regarded "SH-AWD" and the Hyundai/Kia EV system.)
I feel like when talking about the cost difference, the hosts didn’t account for the EV tax credit
Federal Tax credits are for US built cars.
@@vikingbaseunless you lease. Then all PHEV and EV's get a fed tax credit.
That alert that was described at a stop sign (at around 10:07 in this video) happens in my 2018 Crosstrek, too. Quite annoying, especially the one time it decided hitting the brakes was necessary.
I hope Kelly’s check from Tesla is good.
But seriously this video yet again proves CR doesn’t really understand a PHEV. Nor does any education to how to maximize a PHEV. Rightly so not everyone will benefit from a PHEV but it’s a great solution.
As someone else mentioned: Toyota adds extra noise while in EV modes.
Nothing beats Talking Cars Prius Prime in the morning with my hot cup of Sanka & slightly spoiled milk. :) Sad that Toyota compromised ergonomics in the Prius. Looking forward to the new Camry and Crown Insignia.
Sanka!
I must say, Toyota nailed it with this design. Really interesting and different that anything else on the market. Feels competition will soon copy this shape. But the trend with bigger wheels starts being ridiculous. Don't need no ultra low profile tires on poor roads. Even if new shocks can cope with it, when shocks will wear your teeth will rattle.
Except for sitting in the back seat due to low head room.
Well I got the big wheels that came with the XSE features. They look sharp but they might not be as practical, like when your wheel bites the curb! Anyway I am enjoying it as it is...
Candy from Canada, have you thought about staying with Toyota and trying an 86, or the same car as a Subaru BRZ?
Both are coupes, and sporty, and people seem to love them. I haven't checked, but they should be available as manuals.
Wow I'm surprised it's only a 240 lbs increase over the regular Prius. That's rather impressive.
That's about the weight of an additional fairly corpulent American passenger.
Well, the Prius is a hydrid to start off with. So removing a small and replacing it with a larger one and adding a charger receptacle doesn't add very much weight.
Kelly's comment, "this is not a quiet car..." made me think of the fact that all hybrids and EVs are mandated to emit a whining sound at lower speeds and at idle that I describe as "haunted refrigerator." I don't know if any of that sound makes it's way back into the cabin, but as a pedestrian and cyclist, it does hit my brain like nails on a chalkboard. On the other hand I can always tell when navigating city streets by foot or on bike, when a hybrid or EV is coming at me...
That sound is only produced at low speeds and in our EV is hard to discern with the windows up.
yes back into the cabin a bit. it is much worse outside I have found
Grew up with the first generation prius and it did not have that... use to scare people at night because it's quiet. Easier to sneak away too lol
Fun fact: the Prius generation 2 (2004-2009) did not generate any artificial sound at low speed.
The Gen 2 Prius made no noise and in Japan where they had an EV button they called it "Wife Cheating Mode"!
I've never seen this car in the wild. I'm guessing the 2024 model might actually be available for purchase
3:04 I thought "HV" stands for "hybrid vehicle" not "high voltage"?
I agree with Mike! My first thought was a used Honda Fit or Civic. They both have good gas mileage for non-hybrids. I've owned both and loved them. You might be able to find a manual and the last gen Civic still had a coupe.
The Fit is a great choice. The 09-13 were stupid reliable, avoid the 15 and get a 16-20 for the last gen.
Has anyone reviewed how the large glass roof impacts the heating up of the car parked in the summer?
The same could be said for how it impacts someone living in the mountains or cold winter states like Wisconsin? Is there sufficient heat or A/C to adjust for extremes?
BTW - On the Top-of the line model there are solar panels in the roof that charge the battery...
I love Toyota regardless after 48 years of so many different brands it boiled down to Toyota (and Lexus of course).
Consumers Report was the source pointed me to Toyota I the mid seventies after Vietnam war ended in April 1975 I settled in California thinking French car was the best but looking at CR reliability keep pointing at Toyota and other Japanese brands. After 48 years has confirmed CR is right, thank you CR. Toyota and Lexus are only brands I want period
The other thing I noticed about Toyota Owners is that they share similar values in most cases. They prefer economy, durability and reliability and they take good care of their cars! They are willing to pay a little extra for a Toyota. Yes Toyota parts are expensive, but who cares when you never need them!
I love the concept of Plug-Ins Hybrid and that is why I currently own a Kia Sorento PHEV. I also ended buying a 3 year old pre-owned Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In hybrid top limited trim as my second car which provides an excellent value as compared to this brand new Prius Prime. The 2 year old technology is actually not too far off from what is being offered in the current new car market.
I think there is something that should be talked about the Prius Prime. First let me say that I had a 2009 Gen2 Prius which I loved. Now I love my 2024 Prime and almost all its features. I put a bandaid over the Driver Monitoring Camera and turned it off. I heard that Tesla employees were passing around photos of naked Tesla drivers! I also turned off the Driver Monitoring Communication Recording. If you read the license agreement for the Toyota Connect APP they can keep some of your data for up to 15 years, driving behaviour, cameras, sound. They can also give it to 3rd parties and legal authorities. I don't get mapping because I refuse to install the Connect APP as I must agree to their licensing agreement. Otherwise a wonderful car, but I value my privacy.
I always thought the CR-Z was cool but it wasn’t a huge sales success at all. I’m assuming she’s limited on budget and while looking for something quirky, I’d imagine looking for an older Civic coupe.
I've owned it for 6 weeks. I've used about 3 gallons of gas from the original tank of gas from the dealer. I have 1600 miles on it. It takes about 9 hours to fully recharge from a standard plug. The VAST majority of the time I'm using the EV. You are dead wrong on the benefits of a plug in. It is NOT a chore at all.
This is bad advice. I'm not impressed with these 'panel'. They are not representative of the average person. Downvote.
I agree… I have had my Prime since August, and choosing drive modes and understanding abbreviations is really a very short learning curve, and a non-issue if you are someone who pays any attention to their vehicle at all. Even if you don’t, you just get in and drive and the car figures everything else out. There is never a “need” to manually switch to HV, EV or Auto, unless you are a geek who likes to optimize efficiency like me. 😉
I also don’t find the safety things annoying, and I have everything on. Sure, the cross traffic does beep whenever a car or pedestrian passes, but… that is the point. It’s not wrong. There are sensitivity setting that can be played with, or just turn the feature off if it bugs you that much. This is not a negative.
I'm an EV guy, but agree. More convenient to plug than pump & misleading to say otherwise. Also they act like gas is free
Candy should definitely test drive the CR-Z to find out for herself if it has enough power. I bought a new 2011 CR-Z (manual transmission) back in 2012, and I was sold based on the test drive - it felt kind of like driving a go-kart and it is quick off the line, but the power fades after that. I switched from the CR-Z to a used BMW i3 Rex in 2020 (I also love small quirky cars).
I was a little disappointed by the boring (non-quirky) options offered by the cast. For some alternative quirky/interesting small used cars, I would recommend also looking at these: Hyundai Veloster, Smart ForTwo (crazy quirky), Toyota FR-S/Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ (more power), Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Honda Civic Coupe (actually kind of rare to see anymore), and last but not least - maybe just get another Scion tC.
But also, if Candy has somewhere to plug in and is willing to take the leap to EV, she could consider a used Polestar 2 - it's design reminds me of the Scion tC (mostly in the C pillar).
So everyone is clapping their hands for something Chevrolet did 12 years ago. It’s called a Volt. The 2019 Volt was a /is better EV than the Prime. 50 miles of Battery range. And much better driving experience. Oh and 2 hours charging on level two @ 7.2kW.
Are the batteries in the regular Prius also lithium? I thought Toyota used Nickel Hydride.
My Gen 2 Prius used NMH batteries but my 2024 are Lithium.
$39 000? add a bunch of dealer addons and their *pro packs* for additional $1900, not even saying about mark ups, thankfully they're not allowed here in GA, but anyway, my normal non prime xle was almost $40 000 (with roof and without 12 inch screen), so idk how you guys get that number
Maybe Toyota could add a glossary of their acronyms to their menu system. Of course, they would probably call it. GOA
Does your engine sound like it revs on gas mode while in park?
Nope!
here is what i understand about toyota and their battery charging. They designed it so the car can be charged at home. There is no reason we need a charging time of 10 minutes. What do you care more about, a fast charging time? Or your battery lasting potentially 20 years? i'd choose the latter.
The panel suggests that Consumer Reports has a technical discussion of various AWD systems. However, using the search system no such report shows up. Where are these discussions???
In particular, I have been told that there are big differences among vehicles. For example mechanical AWD versus the added rear electric motor on some Toyota hybrids. Also big differences in how much power can be transferred to one or both rear wheels.
I found one article titled: “How It Works: 2WD vs. AWD vs. 4WD”. This article says nothing more than my comment above, and goes into zero specifics on manufacturers.
The looks of the new pruis is great, but why in the world didn't they just us the RAV4 prime system? The mileage would be the same and the performance increased.
Cute, but $33K, not for me, I got Chevy Bolt $30K. Someone said not good for talls. For me hybrid is a -, not a +
No one mentioned that the prime is more fun to drive than regular Prius . And their reasons not to buy prime were laughable
I have been told that mechanical AWD systems are more effective than when an electric motor provides the power to the second axle, for example in an RX350 AWD vs. an RX350h AWD. I suspect that the questioner was trying to get at the answer to this. But this question was not answered by the panel. Can we get a second try at ferreting out opinions on this?
The average mileage driven in a car in the US per year is 13,489 miles. That works out to 36 miles a day. Most people don't have so many cars they need to move them around either... Not very useful advice honestly and it ignores you know killing the planet: 'get the regular'. You can eliminate about 70+% of all gas use if you just use this kind of car.
honda fit but everyone has them and i dont think the last gen is sporty handling. you would have to get the one 2 generations ago i think.
scion ia sedan or hatchback. the hatch was 2020. 35 mpg. sporty handling. 0 to 60 in 10 seconds or 9 with the manual.
or get a mazda 3 last gen with almost 200 hp. that had sporty handling. think its around 30 mpg.
Ugh. There are a couple lowered CR-Zs in my neighborhood with huge wings, obscenely loud exhaust, and swapped out red Honda badges. They're so embarrassing. A slow hybrid with mundane handling that isn't efficient for its size, and yet the narcissistic Fast and Furious wannabes are modding them anyway. Hate them so much.
And while I'm loathe to the praise the tC either considering it also attracts the fart can posers these days, I do miss that two-door liftback body style. Unfortunately, the crossover/full-size-truck plague means interesting cars keep getting axed...
What good is Toyota if you have to wait 1000 years for delivery of a PHEV?
I just got mine and it was worth the wait! Hope you get one soon!
Learning how to use it is now a chore??? It has Hybrid mode which takes away that annoying chore!
I have had my 2024 Prius Prime for a month now. Excellent Car - EXCEPT if you use the TOYOTA APP on your phone you AGREE to Toyota uploading all your driving data, including the camera on your steering wheel and whatever the microphone records. Toyota can retain this data for in some cases up to 15 YEARS and share it with third parties, including law enforcement. NO THANKS! I Opted Out of it and the SOS button. My next step will probably be to disconnect the antenna or remove and bypass the Driver Monitoring Communication Module. My old 2009 Prius was an excellent car that minded its own business. Did I mention that Toyota is a World Economic Forum partner?
Jeez just get the Camry hybrid.
They are not acronyms. They are initialisms. Accuracy and reporting, please.
These type of vehicles are not ready for prime time. Hybrids have more of a chance of being adapted.
Yes, of course tires are a huge factor when it comes to traction and performance. However, in this comparison the RDX with Acura's SH-AWD and its rear torque vectoring axle is by far superior.
Here's a good video explaining its capabilities: th-cam.com/video/TXSK-B_Hi_Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=lG7rxYKtX69AkRlk
🤩🤩 Saw a red prius...OMG! a Prius Ferrari F40! looks gorgeous in red! I'd buy the regular Prius. $5k diff is to much. if $2-3k ...then YES! 44 miles on EV is 30 more than I need daily. I love the fact...NOOOO range anxiety! The woman on this show is weird!..her logic is weird.
$39k for a Prius and it’s not even the top trim 😮.
It's bananaz
Most of time these will be charging at home or work, so they will be sitting more than long enough to top off the battery for 90% driving EV as long as someone doesn't have a marathon commute. Then on that rare road trip they will be topping off at a filling station anyway. These might go through a couple tanks of fuel a year for the vast majority of owners, barely worth the extra weight of hoarding and carrying batteries they will almost never use.
CR, With the debut of the new Toyota Crown Signia Hybrid, who would want this Prius for approximately the same price? 🤔
well unlike the signia the prime is a plug in hybrid the wife and I have managed to drive our prime most of the month without using any gas. Its likely faster than the signia and also includes solar option
How do you know that the Signia is going to be similarly priced trim to trim with the Prius Prime?
Kelly my 2012 Nissan leaf has 30 miles of range. My 2012 Prius plug in has 10 to 15 miles. So 44 sounds great to me. If their wasn’t full Evs with more range I would have moved up to the prime .
Completely different vehicles.
Not that the Prius Prime is easy to purchase, but the Signa is still 8+ months to launch date (in the states) and will be unobtanium for at least another 6 months after. Also, comparably equipped (i.e. Limited trim) the Signa will likely be at least $12k more (current Crown sedan Limited trim is $49k+) than the Prime. Also, the Prius has significantly higher combined mpg with an EV option (not available with the Signa).
Plugging in annoyance?? Carrying groceries in the house... annoyance!
I think everything annoys her 😂
Unfortunately I can’t hear you. That rough coarse engine is so obnoxiously loud. Tesla model 3 is a much better car.
Sorry, but those are not acronyms. They are abbreviations.
Beeping is confusing and annoying. Toyota should use AlexaSiri voice to tell you what is going on.
I would rather have the beeping!
CR should employ a working poor person to give you some perspective. Not everyone is a homeowner with their own level two charger.
I agree w the poor part, but more about price. There are ways around charging for some. California state law (Civil Code section 1947.6) requires landlords to approve tenant requests to install EV charging stations in their dedicated parking spaces so long as the tenant is willing to pay for the charging station and associated costs, including installation and utility costs.
I just bought an EV. IMO PHEVs have too many caveats to make sense. They are good if you need 1 car to do everything and are OK with their lower range and EV only performance. We have 2 cars in the household and use the EV for the bulk of our miles, which are local but sometimes well beyond what any PHEV can do round trip.
Esp @ $33k, my Bolt EV 2LT was under $30k, I don't get why they're losing their mind...it's pretty?
Well you aren't likely to get range anxiety with a Plug in Hybrid unless you keep the gas tank empty!
Id rather be in a meeting at work than listen to these three.
So why do you, then? 😆
I DEMAND A BACK TO BASICS PLUG IN (without these useless features I'll never use) for $22,000!!!!! $39K for this car??? I'll pass.
2003 is happy to welcome you back. Aside from used, there has NEVER been a plug-in hybrid at that price. There is hardly any new car of any variety at that price, today.
It’s like smartphones. A lot of the features are not needed.
"Toyota Tax"!
This is NOT a review whatsoever!
These three host’s give off the aroma and charm of spoiled milk.
their job is to accurately talk about the car, if you want 3 clowns talking about cars, you have top gear
I don't get it -- if you are going to buy a plug in, then why don't you just buy the damn EV??? Like buying a Ferrari with a 130-HP 3 cylinder engine -- oh wait, that's the P.O.S. Chevy Trax!
Esp @ $33K. Mostly what they think they need vs really need
No one cares about this niche model . Why aren't they posting a story about the 2025 Toyota Camry?
It’s not for sale yet. Check back next year 😁
Toyota and Honda are sleep walking into the future. They are looking to the past and projecting it forward.
EV adoption is accelerating every year. Exponential not linear. The only limiting factor is batteries.
The number of electric vehicles and types of vehicles and trucks is growing.
Electric vehicles are just better. No noise, no emissions, less fuel costs, less maintenance costs and amazing technology. Gasoline and diesel are OLD polluting technology. PHEVs still have a gasoline engine polluting the environment. Toyota and Honda will be late to the party. It will cost them market share, market value and future customers. There is a Climate Crisis. Young people will not buy petrol and diesel vehicles that add to the Climate Crisis. Toyota needs to learn a lesson from Nokia or Kodak. They will continue to lose market share until they do or they will go bankrupt. They are starting at the top but there is a long way down.
We will see in the USA won't we? GM has announced it is pushing back its electric plant to 2025. Tesla is cutting its prices drastically to keep sales up. Ford has electric cars piling upon lots and needs discounts to move any. Toyota/Subaru have plenty of EVs they cannot sell. Startup electric companies are running out of money (Fisker is about to go bankrupt again for the second and last time). For the short term, hybrids are growing in sales much faster than EVs - and it is not because of capacity of EVs because there are plenty to buy on all car lots now. So you may be right in 10 years. Right now, people in the general public are not buying them.
electric cars are still polluting with the tremendous amount of damage made to make the batteries, then of course there's the issue with creating the car, and worse yet, repairing the roads because as these cars get heavier, road life span dramatically decreases. To lay down fresh road creates a ton of pollution. One brand had put out an amazing car that can drive really far while also be charged by the sun however its storage space is abysmal.
Ultimately the best way to fix the problem is to invest in the town and in appropriate public transportation whether its high speed rail, trains, trams, etc. IN addition to changing towns and cities so there's mid rise housing instead of detached homes.
Are they recyclable though?
Yeah, you let me know when we have enough battery cell production to replace all ICEVs with BEVs, eh? Last I checked, we're only up around 12-15 million of the 80 million new cars being produced per year. With PHEV battery packs being 20-25% of the capacity of a BEV battery pack, then given global cell production volume, TODAY we could already be producing 48- 75 million PHEVs per year.
BEV replacement rate for the world's in-use ICEVs is currently sitting at about 1% per year. If the production rate stagnated, then it would take 100 years to replace all ICEVs. OTOH, PHEVs could have reached 4-5% this year had we not bothered with BEVs at all, reducing that 100 years to about 20-25 years. Oh, and it would require no DC fast charging infrastructure, which has been an absolute disaster in the US on normal days, much less on holidays when everyone is driving. How about towing... how's that working out? People who tow things don't want to bother with BEVs on account of range concerns.
I have a PHEV that "pollutes the environment". My gas use versus my previous ICEV is 5% of what my last car used. FYI... all cars pollute the environment. They use an immense amount of raw materials and energy during production. They also do still use energy when charging, much of which still comes from fossil fuels or other means that have environmental costs. Don't want to pollute at all, then why are we even talking about cars as solutions? While my PHEV is far more efficient than my previous ICEV, it uses 5x more energy than my e-bike, which I've now started commuting 30 miles r/t to work and back. Put up or shut up as the saying goes. If you care so much about zeroing out your carbon footprint, then do it buddy! I sure do, and I did.
Toyota is taking a pragmatic approach. The Tesla approach is pretty much one of the slowest, least efficient, and most expensive ways of transitioning away from fossil fuels. Tesla will sell 1.8 million cars this year. Know how much money they'll pull in from subsidies and carbon credit sales for such a tiny replacement rate of ICEVs? (replacement of 0.1% of total global in-use cars) $10 billion. Yep. $10 billion in free money for only 1.8 million cars... (Those subsidies are based on conservative math, it'll likely be higher...)
Ironically, if cell production doubled, BEVs could be at a 2% annual replacement rate and it would still take 50 years to replace all ICEVs with BEVs. Yet, the same volume of cells could lead to an 8-10% annual replacement rate with PHEVs, only taking 10-12.5 years to replace all ICEVs.
How about tripling cell volumes? 3% annual replacement rate for BEVs would take 33 years to replace all ICEVs, PHEVs would hit 12%-15% replacement rate and could do it in 7-8 years.
And just to reiterate, the PHEVs require no DC fast charging infrastructure. As BEV adoption grows, so too must DC fast charger capacity.
Another kicker. If we're able to develop near net-zero e-fuels that can serve as a direct gasoline replacement, the voila, even the ICE use in PHEVs gets greener. In the future, this could even come in the form of green hydrogen combustion engines. Hydrogen, e-fuels, it's all more expensive than gasoline, but then it would only ever be used for long trips. In my personal case, it would only account for about 10% of my annual miles driven, or about 900 miles. The extra cost in that fuel wouldn't exactly break the bank.
As to the rate of replacement... The thing about emissions is that we're already stuffing too many emissions into the atmosphere, and now the scientific consensus seems to be implying that it isn't enough to simply reduce emissions, but we'll also need to pull emissions back out of the atmosphere as well. Therefore, every bit of CO2 injected into the atmosphere in the short term will require even more energy to pull it back out. Current atmospheric CO2 extraction methods aren't exactly what one would consider efficient.
You may not like PHEVs... but you know what's a lot worse? ICEVs. Due to restricted BEV production on account of restricted battery cell production capacity, BEVs require that more ICEVs continue to operate on the world's roads. Sorry, but your BEV magic bullet is actually quite slow and inefficient at rapidly reducing gasoline use and emissions output.
No wonder oil companies favor BEV sales over PHEVs. They'd much rather more ICEVs stay on roads for longer, buying up alllll of their oil / gasoline.